The globular transcriptional adapter zinc binding 1 (TAZ1) domain of CREB binding protein participates in protein–protein interactions that are involved in transcriptional regulation. TAZ1 binds numerous targets, of which many are intrinsically disordered proteins that undergo a disorder-to-order transition to various degrees. One such target is the disordered transactivation domain of transcription factor RelA (TAD-RelA), which with its interaction with TAZ1 is involved in transcriptional regulation of genes in NF-κB signaling. We have here performed nuclear magnetic resonance backbone and side-chain relaxation studies to investigate the influence of RelA-TA2 (residues 425–490 in TAD-RelA) binding on the subnanosecond internal motions of TAZ1. We find a considerable dynamic response on both the backbone and side-chain levels, which corresponds to a conformational entropy change that contributes significantly to the binding energetics. We further show that the microscopic origins of the dynamic response of TAZ1 vary depending on the target. This study demonstrates that folded protein domains that are able to interact with various targets are not dynamically passive but can have a significant role in the motional response upon target association.

The interaction between the C-terminal transactivation domain of HIF-1α (CTAD-HIF-1α) and the transcriptional adapter zinc binding 1 (TAZ1) domain of CREB binding protein participate in the initiation of gene transcription during hypoxia. Unbound CTAD-HIF-1α is disordered but undergoes a disorder-to-order transition upon binding to TAZ1. We have here performed NMR side chain and backbone relaxation studies on TAZ1 and side chain relaxation measurements on CTAD-HIF-1α in order to investigate the role of picosecond to nanosecond dynamics. We find that the internal motions are significantly affected upon binding, both on the side chain and the backbone level. The dynamic response corresponds to a conformational entropy change that contributes substantially to the binding thermodynamics for both binding partners. Furthermore, the conformational entropy change for the well-folded TAZ1 varies upon binding to different IDP targets. We further identify a cluster consisting of side chains in bound TAZ1 and CTAD-HIF-1α that experience extensive dynamics and are part of the binding region that involves the N-terminal end of the LPQL motif in CTAD-HIF-1α; a feature that might have an important role in the termination of the hypoxic response.